Pitting the SIG P320 X-Five Against the Canik TP9SFX

In 1988, Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks were both undefeated. My father decided to cast his frugality aside and order the pay-per-view fight. It was the first time we had a sporting event at my house, and I remember making all the preparations — food, drinks, and chairs covered almost every spot in the living room. The circus was definitely in town.

As the main event drew closer, the room filled with neighbors, family members, and a few faces who probably didn’t belong. Time stood still during the undercard fights. The buzz created from the young Mike Tyson as he devoured his opponents crossed all gaps of age, gender, and species even (the family dog eagerly awaited the starting bell). The intense agony of anticipation was almost too great for my 11-year-old heart to bear. I wasn’t a boxing fan, but I wanted to see what all the hype was about. This is it. The fight was about to begin. Oh, I can still feel the tension.

The fighters came out, and we got even more annoyed that the referee took so long in laying out the rules. I dared not blink now. The next thing I remember is cleaning up half-eaten sandwiches and empty soda cans. Apparently, 91 seconds is all it takes for a championship boxing match to take place. Talk about not getting your money’s worth. I do remember my father being so mad that he never ordered another pay-per-view again. As we put away the chairs, I found out it wasn’t that he was mad that Tyson was so good, we just wanted a better matchup. Then again no one was a match for Iron Mike in those days.

My boxing memory was rekindled when I received my latest undertaking, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the new SIG SAUER P320 X-Five. Especially since the newly awarded military contract has created a steamroller of hype for the P320. Its opponent, the Canik TP9SFX, sounds more like a fax machine than a pistol. I couldn’t wait to see how badly the SIG would beat it up. But I figured I had to go through the formalities of actually testing them side by side as per my contractual obligations. This should be Mike Tyson-esque.

These guns are the most apt versions the respective companies have to offer. When major manufacturers stamp a competition designation on pistols, you can usually count on a few features — a longer barrel, a better trigger, better sights, and whatever is deemed better for the shootability of the gun. Both guns take advantage of the slide-mounted optic trend by providing slide cuts for mini red-dots. There’s no rule that says because they’re “competition” guns they can’t be legitimate range companions or (if you have room in the waistband) carry guns. On the contrary, these are often the most fun guns to shoot as they offer the ability to deliver faster and more accurate shots on target.

In the Blue Corner SIG SAUER’s X-Five series of pistols are tailor made for sport shooting. While it all began with the P226 line; now attention has shifted to the P320. This X-Five was determined to be the best shooting P320 SIG could develop, “a P320 that could do everything the top-of-the-line competition pistols could do.”

The P320’s chassis system allows for interchangeable grip modules. The X-Five module features a deeply undercut trigger guard and a higher beavertail; both help the shooter grip closer to the bore axis — the best place to be for controllability. A grip weight puts a few ounces in the palm of the hand to generate a more balanced feeling, with the total weight coming in at about 2 pounds. The slide release is ambidextrous and extended for faster activation, and a removable magazine well acts as a vacuum for the four 21-round magazines that are supplied. This is twice as many as the Canik.

When sending fast shots downrange, your finger needs to activate the trigger correctly and consistently, and the flat profile of the X-Five’s trigger makes finger placement forgiving. The combination of the 5-inch bull barrel and lightened slide shifts weight from the reciprocating parts to the static parts, making for a softer shooting feel.

One of the most significant areas for improvement on a pistol is the sights. The SIG offers a fully adjustable rear and a fiber-optic front sight from Dawson Precision. All these changes come together for a well-thought-out package.

In the Red Corner Century International Arms is responsible for importing the Turkish-based Canik firearms. The Canik TP series of handguns have gained popularity in the last few years by offering quality at an affordable price point. The company also waves around a lot of NATO and aerospace manufacturing certifications, which presumably means they know how to make stuff.